Dinner parties changing course

A meal for guests in your home isn't your mother's dinner party anymore.

A meal for guests in your home isn't your mother's dinner party anymore.

In fact, for those of a certain age, it's not your dinner party anymore, either.

Such gatherings have evolved from formal, dress-up affairs to simpler, casual and often-

impromptu get-togethers -- good news for anyone with a heavy schedule, a busy family, a stressful job.

Whether you're a 20-something in your first home or a baby boomer in an empty nest, you're far more likely to share with guests a one-pot meal in the great room than a sit-down affair with silver, china and place cards.

Modern hosts tend to forgo the multicourse dinner in favor of the lunch or brunch that's partly purchased rather than made entirely from scratch.

The common thread: Such occasions are easy, laid-back and collegial, with guests sometimes congregating in the kitchen to nibble hors d'oeuvres while the cook finishes the entree.

Ina Garten, host of Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network and author of cookbooks by the same title, contrasts her early dinner parties with what she now hosts.

Her meals these days are likely to have one rich, fabulous element and two simple supporting offerings.

She might prepare a mustard rack of lamb, for example, and pair it with a simple orzo dish and roasted vegetables. Or she might make a roast chicken in a pan with roasted vegetables.

Similar menus will be included in Garten's book Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, to be published in October.

Garten never serves a first course, she said, and instead puts all food out on platters. And she sometimes prepares part of a meal and buys the rest. (A simple dessert, for instance, might be a store-bought poundcake served with fresh berries.)

She also finds herself entertaining less in the evenings.

"I tend more not to invite people for dinner."

More often, she said, she hosts a breakfast, brunch or lunch, giving guests the afternoon for other activities.

Other food professionals note the same trends.

"It comes as no surprise that people are looking for a more casual way to entertain," said Diana McMillen, senior food editor at Midwest Living. "There are fewer 'rules.' . . . People are having fun with it."

She likes to grilling food more frequently because it sets a casual atmosphere.

In helping home cooks plan meals and entertaining, the key is catering to different needs, said Kemp Minifie, executive editor at Gourmet magazine.

Some do still want to plan challenging menus.

"For them, cooking is a sport," Minifie said. "They relax when they do it."

But others -- and she puts herself into this category -- are looking for a simpler way.

"I'm tired. I don't want to spend the weekend in the kitchen. A lot of my entertaining tends to be impromptu."

Like others, she no longer serves a first course. Guests, she said, prefer to gather for snacks before sitting down to a meal.

"And it's on platters; it's not plated."

She also sees a preference for the one-pot

dinner.

"You make a pot of something you can expand if someone brings a friend. You add bread or something else."

She has had success serving an entree of black beans with rice, which can be personalized by having guests add ingredients.

"People love to make something their own," she said. "And it spurs conversation."

Many hosts remain willing to put time into preparing and serving delicious food -- they just don't have a lot of time to do it.

But in the end, she said, what matters is the gathering itself.

"It's about getting people together over food. It's conversation; itt's sharing; it gets heart-to-hearts

going."

WARM ASPARAGUS SALAD

Makes 4 servings

This recipe is from Midwest Living magazine.

1 pound fresh asparagus spears

Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Salt

Ground black pepper

8 cups baby mixed salad greens

1/4 cup snipped pitted whole dates

4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

1/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted

1 large tomato, seeded, chopped (optional)

Snap off and discard

woody bases from asparagus. Cut asparagus into 2- to 3-inch pieces.

Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Add water to just below bottom of basket. Bring to a boil. Evenly arrange asparagus in basket. Cover and reduce heat; steam 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

To serve, arrange mesclun on 4 large salad plates. Sprinkle dates on top of mesclun. Sprinkle with goat cheese and pecans. Arrange asparagus on top. If you like, top with chopped tomatoes. Drizzle with some of the remaining Balsamic Vinaigrette (save remaining vinaigrette for another use). Serve immediately.

In small saucepan over medium heat, bring remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream and the sugar to a simmer. Remove from heat. Add softened gelatin to hot cream and stir to dissolve. Pour hot cream/gelatin mixture into cream/yogurt mixture and stir to combine.

Pour mixture into 8 round ramekins or custard cups that are 3 1/2 inches across and at least 2 inches high. Refrigerate uncovered until well-chilled.

In bowl, combine strawberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar and pepper. Toss well and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

LEMON-ROSEMARY PORK TENDERLOIN

Makes 8 servings

This recipe is from Taste of Home.

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried, crushed

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In small bowl, combine all ingredients except pork; rub mixture over tenderloins. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Tent with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.